Founded by local women in 2003, the Women Artisans' Association of Arbolsol and Huaca de Barro (Asociación de Artesanas de Arbolsol y Huaca de Barro – AAAHB) works to recover traditional methods of cotton production that are environmentally responsible and create positive socioeconomic change in Mórrope District, Lambayeque, northern Peru.The association oversees planting and harvesting of native cotton varieties using only pesticides from natural sources. In addition, the association has been active in managing water resources in this semi-arid region. Traditional colours of native cotton...

In response to declining local octopus populations, community leaders in the coastal village of Andavadoaka sought to regulate harvesting practices. With guidance from Blue Ventures, a UK-based NGO, the village authorities created a trial 'no-take zone' in 2004 where octopus hunting was banned for a period of seven months. Enforcement was rooted in the tradition of Dina, or local codes of conduct, which are common throughout Madagascar.The results were increases in the mean weight of octopus caught by around 50%, prompting many neighbouring villages to ask Andavadoaka for support in creating n...

After a devastating bush fire in 1973, the village of Ando Kpomey created a "green belt" buffer around its community that has grown into a 100-hectare forest. A participatory management committee has been established to monitor the forest and its resources and to regulate its use. The community authorizes limited resource extraction to meet livelihood needs and manages revenues generated from the sale of forest-based products. Local women are authorized entry to the community forest to access firewood, significantly reducing the average time needed to forage for cooking fuel. Various crops are...

Ujamaa Community Resource Team works across northern Tanzania to help secure land and resource rights for pastoralist, agro-pastoralist, and hunter-gatherer communities, many of whom are negatively affected by the existence of the country's large protected areas. The group's approach has capitalized on Tanzania's village land legislation, which allows communities to develop by-laws and land use plans for their customary lands, and has also focused on improving the ecosystem management capacity of these communities.By guiding socially marginalized groups through the arduous process of securing ...